Duke's Boone 'pretty sore' but ready for more

Published: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 12:29 AM.

“Slowly, but surely, I’m coming back,” Boone said. “It doesn’t feel 100 percent normal. It’s not going to feel the same as it used to. It doesn’t feel the same as it used to.”

Boone said he has talked to other players who’ve had serious injuries and he understands that he might never feel as comfortable as he did prior to sustaining the broken collarbone Sept. 7 at Memphis.

“It just comes with it,” Boone said.

Connette has returned to regular practice this week, Cutcliffe said. Connette, who started three games in Boone’s absence, has connected on 64.1 percent (75 of 117) of his throws, compiling 1,022 yards this season. His most efficient game came in his last start in a Sept. 28 victory against Troy.

DURHAM — Anthony Boone said he’s not sure if he’ll ever have the same feeling in his throwing motion after a broken collarbone sidelined him for more than a month.

But the Duke quarterback said he senses that he’s making progress every day, certainly spurred by the stellar performance in his return to action Saturday against Navy.

“Pretty sore, but not too bad,” Boone said Tuesday of how he feels. “I got a little sore during halftime and did some stretching to get it back.”

Boone, a redshirt junior, completed 31 of 38 passes for a career-best 295 yards and three touchdowns as the Blue Devils rattled Navy 35-7. It came on relatively short notice because — while he expected that he might play some — moments before kick-off Brandon Connette told the coaching staff that he wasn’t up to speed after an ankle injury a couple of days earlier at the end of practice.

Boone has returned to first-string work in practice this week in preparation for Saturday’s game at Virginia (2-4 overall, 0-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). Duke (4-2, 0-2) has put up 265.7 passing yards per game, trailing only Miami and North Carolina in that category among teams in the ACC’s Coastal Division.

Boone was named the ACC Offensive Back of the Week for his performance against Navy. In two-plus games this season, Boone has thrown for 570 yards by completing 78.4 percent (58 of 74) of his passes, with his only touchdown strikes coming Saturday.

“Slowly, but surely, I’m coming back,” Boone said. “It doesn’t feel 100 percent normal. It’s not going to feel the same as it used to. It doesn’t feel the same as it used to.”

Boone said he has talked to other players who’ve had serious injuries and he understands that he might never feel as comfortable as he did prior to sustaining the broken collarbone Sept. 7 at Memphis.

“It just comes with it,” Boone said.

Connette has returned to regular practice this week, Cutcliffe said. Connette, who started three games in Boone’s absence, has connected on 64.1 percent (75 of 117) of his throws, compiling 1,022 yards this season. His most efficient game came in his last start in a Sept. 28 victory against Troy.